Learning to ride

[stormrider]

Well, thanks for all the great comments. Just got back last night from 1275 miles of practice. Left out Tuesday evening for a one hour interview for a sales job with a company that has their district office in Charlotte, NC. Of course I took the long way up there and home.

I always look where I want to go especially when cornering. The original post was about head movement/placement when cornering. I saw lots of bikes between Maggie Valley all the way to the Ocoee River. When cornering, most would keep their head straight in line with the rest of the body. I've made a concious decsion to pivot my head to keep it straight up and down while cornering. Don't know if it makes a huge difference in how I take corners but it helps me keep a better perspective on the amount of bank a curve has. And I seem to corner better and keep a better line than I did in the past. Not to say I can keep up with anybody else on the tight twisties but I feel more comfortable with this style of cornering.

[BradValk48237]

I agree with Jabba about learning to ride in the dirt..... Started when I was 8-9 and quit once the knees started to go.

The only bad habit you get is putting a foot down to get your balance back..... 200lb dirt bike, quick tap with your toe/foot sets you right back up.... 800lb Valk same thing might end up with your foot under the saddle bag, or worse! Learned it the hard way when i got my first Wing. But still have done it once in a while, just instinct you have to unlearn and use brake/throttle instead to get out of trouble.

B

[Jabba]

The only bad habit you get is putting a foot down to get your balance back.....

I don't put my foot down, but rather stick it out for balance.  That's all I REALLY did on the dirt bike too.  Stick it out like an outrigger...  I still do that once in a while.  The only time I ever stab the ground with it is when I am BARELY moving and need to to not fall over.  Other than that, my feet are on pegs.

Jabba

[fuzzy2bucks]

I didn't think it would be possible to do Twistys without counter-steering unless the Twistys were
close together and made to do slow which seems unlikely.

[Highbinder]

I just read the thread found it to be very interesting....there seems to be proper technique and what you can get away with...its really simple, you find the vertical line on the motorcycle, right dead center, when you enter the curve your knees should be pressing against the gas tank, this will help you keep the vertical line of the bike, lean forward slightly where your elbows are bent, lift your head alittle staying vertical with the center of the bike and look where you want to go, the farther you look the smoother the turn, the bike will follow your line of sight.....by keeping your knees against the gas tank will help alot in the turns and stops alot of peg dragging...body position is important in all types of riding, this technique doesn't work for slow speed parking lot turns....different body position is required...anyway know one position on the bike covers all...stay vertical with the center of the motorcycle in your next curve and you will know that you made a perfect turn just by the feel, no matter what speed you accomplish it at...

[BigAlOfMD]

Here is my take on the whole thing.
1. You go where you steer.
2. You steer where you think.
3. You think where you look.

This explains:
"Target fixation"
"Look where you want to go"
"Look through turns"

Exceptions:
Rule#3) When you are on a stright road and are enjoying the sights, not looking stright ahead, you continue to stay straight.
Rule#1) You encounter a very strong cross wind, you must steer into the wind by counter steering with the wind.
Rule#1) You enter a banked curve.

Target fixation is over used in support of you go where you look. But it actually fits all of the rules.

[stormrider]

Ditto to what Willow said about using body weight and I use my knees to help push my bike. I practice it on straights moving back and forth between the yellow lines. It works great. By practicing this I've been able to avoid potholes and debris that come out of nowhere just by forcing my weight left or right.